"Albino" Congo African Grey

[Claire Talltree]

I saw this a picture of this bird among a group of other pic.s, listed
on another news group. Doesn't appear to be a true albino, as it still
has red tail feathers. Not too sure of the eye color either, it's hard
to tell from the photo. Take a look, and tell me what you think. I
haven't seen this color variation before!

http://members.tripod.com/johtermors/posters/grijseroodataart.JPG

[TOBY4W]

IT CAN STILL BE AN INO EVEN WITH THE RED TAIL FEATHERS.
Lutino PF Lovebirds retain the red/peach in face etc
Toby.
*************************************************

[David Lal]

I notice the beak and feet are pale, suggesting either a very young bird or
albinism but that red tail is confusing. A better picture would be useful.

David

Claire Talltree wrote in message <3970A977...@talltree.net>...

[Jennifer Mullen]

David Lal <NOSPA...@lald.demon.co.uk> wrote:
:I notice the beak and feet are pale, suggesting either a very young bird or

:albinism but that red tail is confusing. A better picture would be useful.

So far, there really is no true albinism (complete lack of pigment) in any
parrot. The albino budgies, cockatiels, etc. that we see are usually the
result of the expression of two color mutations, one that removes melanin
(grey/black/blue pigment) and one that removes yellow/red pigment. The
trait that removes melanin is called "ino" in many birds. The "albino"
Grey is really more of a "lutino" Grey - a bird with no melanin pigment
that still retains the yellow/red pigments (hence the red tail). It was
probably called albino in the same way that lutino cockatiels were called
albino years ago, or amelanistic ("Lutino") corn snakes are called "albino"
even though they're red.

-J.

--
Jennifer Mullen | "Nothing happens in contradiction to
arat...@home.com | nature, just in contradiction to
http://members.home.net/aratingae/ | what we know of it" --character of
| Dana Scully
|
|

[Claire Talltree]

Good point, Toby4W. I sure wish that they had more pictures of it on
their Web site, though. I'd like to see a close-up of the eyes, for
one. I agree with David Lal, that a better picture would be useful.

As I think of the genetics of this bird... if I owned it, I'd
immediately breed it back to its parent, to see if more could be
produced. Ah, I'm a geneticist at heart!

--Claire Talltree

TOBY4W wrote:
>
> IT CAN STILL BE AN INO EVEN WITH THE RED TAIL FEATHERS.
> Lutino PF Lovebirds retain the red/peach in face etc
> Toby.
> *************************************************